Theft deterrent vehicle lamp mount system

Abstract

A theft-deterrent lamp system for use with a vehicle includes a grommet and a cover. The lamp system is configured to mount with the vehicle and receive a lamp to couple the lamp with the vehicle. The lamp system is arranged to block the lamp from being separated from the vehicle without removing a portion of the lamp system from the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle assembly for deterring theft of a vehicle lamp, the vehicle assembly comprising:
 a sill having an upper support wall extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle in which the vehicle assembly is installed, a generally vertically extending fantail having an upper end coupled to the upper support wall and a lower end spaced apart from the upper end, and a base plate coupled to the lower end of the fantail and extending parallel to the upper support wall, the upper support wall, the fantail, and the base plate cooperate to define a forwardly opening lamp cavity, and the fantail formed to include a grommet-receiving aperture that extends through the fantail, 
 a lamp-mount grommet having a body that extends through the grommet-receiving aperture formed in the fantail to couple the lamp-mount grommet with the sill and a lamp holder that extends away from the body into the lamp cavity, the lamp holder arranged to support a lamp in the forwardly opening lamp cavity, and the lamp-mount grommet sized to prevent removal of a lamp through the grommet-receiving aperture, and 
 a theft-deterrent cover coupled to the sill to close the forwardly opening lamp cavity. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the theft-deterrent cover includes a generally horizontal sill mount coupled to the base plate and an access panel that extends upwardly away from the sill mount to close the forwardly opening lamp cavity, the upper support wall includes a top band coupled to the fantail and a retainer flange spaced apart from the fantail and coupled to the top band, and the retainer flange extends downwardly away from the top band toward the base plate and overlaps a portion of the access panel to block forward movement of the access panel. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the theft-deterrent cover includes a generally horizontal sill mount coupled to the base plate and an access panel that extends upwardly away from the sill mount to close the forwardly opening lamp cavity, the access panel is formed to include an access aperture that extends through the access panel to limit access into the lamp cavity, and the access aperture is aligned with the grommet-receiving aperture. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the theft-deterrent cover further includes a splash guard coupled to the access panel and the splash guard is arranged to cover the access aperture to selectively block access into the lamp cavity. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lamp holder of the lamp-mount grommet is arranged around a central axis of the lamp-mount grommet, the lamp holder includes a radial outer wall coupled to the body, a radial inner wall located radially between the radial outer wall and the central axis to define a lamp-holder recess between the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall, and a flexible joint that extends radially between and interconnects the radial outer and inner walls, and the flexible joint is arranged to pivot the radial inner wall radially outward toward the radial outer wall in response to an axially rearward force being applied to the radial inner wall. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall cooperate to define an angle therebetween and the angle is between about 10 degrees and about 15 degrees. 
     
     
       7. A vehicle assembly comprising:
 a cover including a sill mount arranged to extend generally horizontal relative to ground underlying the sill mount and an access panel coupled to the sill mount and arranged to extend upwardly away from the sill mount, the cover configured to be mounted to the sill such that the cover is inwardly facing and hidden from sight when mounted to the sill, 
 wherein the sill mount is formed to include a fastener aperture that extends through the sill mount and is adapted to receive a fastener to couple the sill mount to a vehicle and the access panel is formed to include an access aperture that extends through the access panel, the access aperture sized to receive a hand of a user of the theft-deterrent cover assembly. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the access aperture has a diameter between about four inches and about six inches. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cover further includes a top segment spaced apart from the sill mount and coupled to the access panel and the top segment and the sill mount are generally parallel. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the sill is formed to include a grommet-receiving aperture that extends through the sill, and the access aperture is aligned with the grommet-receiving aperture. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the sill includes an upper support wall, a fantail having an upper end coupled to the upper support wall and a lower end spaced apart from the upper end, and a base plate coupled to the lower end of the fantail, the upper support wall, the fantail, the base plate, and the cover cooperate to define the lamp cavity, and a portion of the upper support wall extends downwardly and overlaps a portion of the access panel to block forward movement of the access panel. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the cover further includes a splash guard coupled to the access panel and the splash guard is arranged to cover the access aperture to selectively block access to the lamp cavity. 
     
     
       13. A grommet for mating a lamp with a vehicle, the grommet comprising:
 a body arranged around a central axis of the grommet, the body including an axially extending annular alignment wall having a front end and a rear end, a mating wall that extends radially outward away from the front end of the alignment wall, and an attachment flange that extends radially outward away from the rear end of the alignment wall, the alignment wall, the mating wall, and the attachment flange cooperate to define a radially outwardly opening fantail channel that extends around the central axis, and the fantail channel adapted to receive a portion of a vehicle therein to couple the grommet with the vehicle, and 
 a lamp holder coupled with the mating wall, the lamp holder including a radial outer wall coupled to the mating wall and arranged to extend axially forward away from the mating wall, a radial inner wall located radially between the radial outer wall and the central axis to define a lamp-holder recess between the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall, and a flexible joint that extends radially between and interconnects the radial outer and inner walls, the radial inner wall arranged to extend from the flexible joint axially rearward toward the mating wall, and the flexible joint arranged to pivot the radial inner wall radially outward toward the radial outer wall in response to a first axially rearward force being applied to the radial inner wall. 
 
     
     
       14. The grommet of  claim 13 , wherein the radial inner wall includes an attachment end coupled to the flexible joint and a free end spaced apart from the attachment end and the free end is spaced apart axially from the mating wall to form a gap therebetween. 
     
     
       15. The grommet of  claim 14 , wherein the free end of the radial inner wall is formed to include a curved surface that defines a channel that extends axially into the radial inner wall. 
     
     
       16. The grommet of  claim 14 , wherein the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall cooperate to define an angle therebetween and the angle is between about 10 degrees and about 15 degrees. 
     
     
       17. The grommet of  claim 13 , further comprising a return flange coupled to the mating wall, the return flange is arranged to extend axially forward away from the mating wall and radially outward toward the radial outer wall of the lamp holder, and the return flange is arranged to temporarily deform in response to a second axially rearward force being applied to the return flange. 
     
     
       18. The grommet of  claim 17 , wherein the return flange includes an attachment end coupled to the mating wall and a free end spaced apart from the attachment end and the return flange and the mating wall cooperate to define a radially outwardly opening return-flange recess therebetween. 
     
     
       19. The grommet of  claim 13 , wherein the body and the lamp holder form a monolithic component made of an elastic material. 
     
     
       20. The grommet of  claim 13 , wherein the mating wall includes a first end coupled with the alignment wall and a second end spaced apart from the first end of the mating wall, the attachment flange includes a first end coupled with the alignment wall and a second end spaced apart from the first end of the attachment flange, and the second end of the mating wall is radially spaced apart from the second end of the attachment flange to locate the second end of the attachment flange radially between the second end of the mating wall and the alignment wall.